Untitled Sermon

Nahum 1–3 ESV

An oracle concerning Nineveh. The book of the vision of Nahum of Elkosh. The Lord is a jealous and avenging God; the Lord is avenging and wrathful; the Lord takes vengeance on his adversaries and keeps wrath for his enemies. The Lord is slow to anger and great in power, and the Lord will by no means clear the guilty. His way is in whirlwind and storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet. He rebukes the sea and makes it dry; he dries up all the rivers; Bashan and Carmel wither; the bloom of Lebanon withers. The mountains quake before him; the hills melt; the earth heaves before him, the world and all who dwell in it. Who can stand before his indignation? Who can endure the heat of his anger? His wrath is poured out like fire, and the rocks are broken into pieces by him. The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; he knows those who take refuge in him. But with an overflowing flood he will make a complete end of the adversaries, and will pursue his enemies into darkness. What do you plot against the Lord? He will make a complete end; trouble will not rise up a second time. For they are like entangled thorns, like drunkards as they drink; they are consumed like stubble fully dried. From you came one who plotted evil against the Lord, a worthless counselor. Thus says the Lord, “Though they are at full strength and many, they will be cut down and pass away. Though I have afflicted you, I will afflict you no more. And now I will break his yoke from off you and will burst your bonds apart.” The Lord has given commandment about you: “No more shall your name be perpetuated; from the house of your gods I will cut off the carved image and the metal image. I will make your grave, for you are vile.” Behold, upon the mountains, the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace! Keep your feasts, O Judah; fulfill your vows, for never again shall the worthless pass through you; he is utterly cut off. The scatterer has come up against you. Man the ramparts; watch the road; dress for battle; collect all your strength. For the Lord is restoring the majesty of Jacob as the majesty of Israel, for plunderers have plundered them and ruined their branches. The shield of his mighty men is red; his soldiers are clothed in scarlet. The chariots come with flashing metal on the day he musters them; the cypress spears are brandished. The chariots race madly through the streets; they rush to and fro through the squares; they gleam like torches; they dart like lightning. He remembers his officers; they stumble as they go, they hasten to the wall; the siege tower is set up. The river gates are opened; the palace melts away; its mistress is stripped; she is carried off, her slave girls lamenting, moaning like doves and beating their breasts. Nineveh is like a pool whose waters run away. “Halt! Halt!” they cry, but none turns back. Plunder the silver, plunder the gold! There is no end of the treasure or of the wealth of all precious things. Desolate! Desolation and ruin! Hearts melt and knees tremble; anguish is in all loins; all faces grow pale! Where is the lions’ den, the feeding place of the young lions, where the lion and lioness went, where his cubs were, with none to disturb? The lion tore enough for his cubs and strangled prey for his lionesses; he filled his caves with prey and his dens with torn flesh. Behold, I am against you, declares the Lord of hosts, and I will burn your chariots in smoke, and the sword shall devour your young lions. I will cut off your prey from the earth, and the voice of your messengers shall no longer be heard. Woe to the bloody city, all full of lies and plunder— no end to the prey! The crack of the whip, and rumble of the wheel, galloping horse and bounding chariot! Horsemen charging, flashing sword and glittering spear, hosts of slain, heaps of corpses, dead bodies without end— they stumble over the bodies! And all for the countless whorings of the prostitute, graceful and of deadly charms, who betrays nations with her whorings, and peoples with her charms. Behold, I am against you, declares the Lord of hosts, and will lift up your skirts over your face; and I will make nations look at your nakedness and kingdoms at your shame. I will throw filth at you and treat you with contempt and make you a spectacle. And all who look at you will shrink from you and say, “Wasted is Nineveh; who will grieve for her?” Where shall I seek comforters for you? Are you better than Thebes that sat by the Nile, with water around her, her rampart a sea, and water her wall? Cush was her strength; Egypt too, and that without limit; Put and the Libyans were her helpers. Yet she became an exile; she went into captivity; her infants were dashed in pieces at the head of every street; for her honored men lots were cast, and all her great men were bound in chains. You also will be drunken; you will go into hiding; you will seek a refuge from the enemy. All your fortresses are like fig trees with first-ripe figs— if shaken they fall into the mouth of the eater. Behold, your troops are women in your midst. The gates of your land are wide open to your enemies; fire has devoured your bars. Draw water for the siege; strengthen your forts; go into the clay; tread the mortar; take hold of the brick mold! There will the fire devour you; the sword will cut you off. It will devour you like the locust. Multiply yourselves like the locust; multiply like the grasshopper! You increased your merchants more than the stars of the heavens. The locust spreads its wings and flies away. Your princes are like grasshoppers, your scribes like clouds of locusts settling on the fences in a day of cold— when the sun rises, they fly away; no one knows where they are. Your shepherds are asleep, O king of Assyria; your nobles slumber. Your people are scattered on the mountains with none to gather them. There is no easing your hurt; your wound is grievous. All who hear the news about you clap their hands over you. For upon whom has not come your unceasing evil?

Zephaniah 1–3 ESV

The word of the Lord that came to Zephaniah the son of Cushi, son of Gedaliah, son of Amariah, son of Hezekiah, in the days of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah. “I will utterly sweep away everything from the face of the earth,” declares the Lord. “I will sweep away man and beast; I will sweep away the birds of the heavens and the fish of the sea, and the rubble with the wicked. I will cut off mankind from the face of the earth,” declares the Lord. “I will stretch out my hand against Judah and against all the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and I will cut off from this place the remnant of Baal and the name of the idolatrous priests along with the priests, those who bow down on the roofs to the host of the heavens, those who bow down and swear to the Lord and yet swear by Milcom, those who have turned back from following the Lord, who do not seek the Lord or inquire of him.” Be silent before the Lord God! For the day of the Lord is near; the Lord has prepared a sacrifice and consecrated his guests. And on the day of the Lord’s sacrifice— “I will punish the officials and the king’s sons and all who array themselves in foreign attire. On that day I will punish everyone who leaps over the threshold, and those who fill their master’s house with violence and fraud. “On that day,” declares the Lord, “a cry will be heard from the Fish Gate, a wail from the Second Quarter, a loud crash from the hills. Wail, O inhabitants of the Mortar! For all the traders are no more; all who weigh out silver are cut off. At that time I will search Jerusalem with lamps, and I will punish the men who are complacent, those who say in their hearts, ‘The Lord will not do good, nor will he do ill.’ Their goods shall be plundered, and their houses laid waste. Though they build houses, they shall not inhabit them; though they plant vineyards, they shall not drink wine from them.” The great day of the Lord is near, near and hastening fast; the sound of the day of the Lord is bitter; the mighty man cries aloud there. A day of wrath is that day, a day of distress and anguish, a day of ruin and devastation, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and thick darkness, a day of trumpet blast and battle cry against the fortified cities and against the lofty battlements. I will bring distress on mankind, so that they shall walk like the blind, because they have sinned against the Lord; their blood shall be poured out like dust, and their flesh like dung. Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them on the day of the wrath of the Lord. In the fire of his jealousy, all the earth shall be consumed; for a full and sudden end he will make of all the inhabitants of the earth. Gather together, yes, gather, O shameless nation, before the decree takes effect —before the day passes away like chaff— before there comes upon you the burning anger of the Lord, before there comes upon you the day of the anger of the Lord. Seek the Lord, all you humble of the land, who do his just commands; seek righteousness; seek humility; perhaps you may be hidden on the day of the anger of the Lord. For Gaza shall be deserted, and Ashkelon shall become a desolation; Ashdod’s people shall be driven out at noon, and Ekron shall be uprooted. Woe to you inhabitants of the seacoast, you nation of the Cherethites! The word of the Lord is against you, O Canaan, land of the Philistines; and I will destroy you until no inhabitant is left. And you, O seacoast, shall be pastures, with meadows for shepherds and folds for flocks. The seacoast shall become the possession of the remnant of the house of Judah, on which they shall graze, and in the houses of Ashkelon they shall lie down at evening. For the Lord their God will be mindful of them and restore their fortunes. “I have heard the taunts of Moab and the revilings of the Ammonites, how they have taunted my people and made boasts against their territory. Therefore, as I live,” declares the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, “Moab shall become like Sodom, and the Ammonites like Gomorrah, a land possessed by nettles and salt pits, and a waste forever. The remnant of my people shall plunder them, and the survivors of my nation shall possess them.” This shall be their lot in return for their pride, because they taunted and boasted against the people of the Lord of hosts. The Lord will be awesome against them; for he will famish all the gods of the earth, and to him shall bow down, each in its place, all the lands of the nations. You also, O Cushites, shall be slain by my sword. And he will stretch out his hand against the north and destroy Assyria, and he will make Nineveh a desolation, a dry waste like the desert. Herds shall lie down in her midst, all kinds of beasts; even the owl and the hedgehog shall lodge in her capitals; a voice shall hoot in the window; devastation will be on the threshold; for her cedar work will be laid bare. This is the exultant city that lived securely, that said in her heart, “I am, and there is no one else.” What a desolation she has become, a lair for wild beasts! Everyone who passes by her hisses and shakes his fist. Woe to her who is rebellious and defiled, the oppressing city! She listens to no voice; she accepts no correction. She does not trust in the Lord; she does not draw near to her God. Her officials within her are roaring lions; her judges are evening wolves that leave nothing till the morning. Her prophets are fickle, treacherous men; her priests profane what is holy; they do violence to the law. The Lord within her is righteous; he does no injustice; every morning he shows forth his justice; each dawn he does not fail; but the unjust knows no shame. “I have cut off nations; their battlements are in ruins; I have laid waste their streets so that no one walks in them; their cities have been made desolate, without a man, without an inhabitant. I said, ‘Surely you will fear me; you will accept correction. Then your dwelling would not be cut off according to all that I have appointed against you.’ But all the more they were eager to make all their deeds corrupt. “Therefore wait for me,” declares the Lord, “for the day when I rise up to seize the prey. For my decision is to gather nations, to assemble kingdoms, to pour out upon them my indignation, all my burning anger; for in the fire of my jealousy all the earth shall be consumed. “For at that time I will change the speech of the peoples to a pure speech, that all of them may call upon the name of the Lord and serve him with one accord. From beyond the rivers of Cush my worshipers, the daughter of my dispersed ones, shall bring my offering. “On that day you shall not be put to shame because of the deeds by which you have rebelled against me; for then I will remove from your midst your proudly exultant ones, and you shall no longer be haughty in my holy mountain. But I will leave in your midst a people humble and lowly. They shall seek refuge in the name of the Lord, those who are left in Israel; they shall do no injustice and speak no lies, nor shall there be found in their mouth a deceitful tongue. For they shall graze and lie down, and none shall make them afraid.” Sing aloud, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel! Rejoice and exult with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem! The Lord has taken away the judgments against you; he has cleared away your enemies. The King of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst; you shall never again fear evil. On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem: “Fear not, O Zion; let not your hands grow weak. The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing. I will gather those of you who mourn for the festival, so that you will no longer suffer reproach. Behold, at that time I will deal with all your oppressors. And I will save the lame and gather the outcast, and I will change their shame into praise and renown in all the earth. At that time I will bring you in, at the time when I gather you together; for I will make you renowned and praised among all the peoples of the earth, when I restore your fortunes before your eyes,” says the Lord.

Lesson 24

People of the Promise: Kingdom Divided

Updated 8/20

OT Prophets and Prophecy, Lesson 11 needs to be completed, BSF notes need to be added.  There is NO homiletics associated with Lesson 11.

Jonah, Lesson 12, homiletics need to be completed (only content is done).

Obadiah, Lesson 14, homiletics need to be completed (only content is done).

Hosea, Lesson 15, homiletics need to be completed (only content is done).

2 Kings 15-20, Lesson 16, homiletics need to be completed (only content is done).

2 Kings 21-25, Lesson 17, homiletics need to be completed (only content is done).

Isaiah 1-39, Lesson 18, homiletics need to be completed (only content is done).

Isaiah 40-48, Lesson 20, homiletics need to be completed (only content is done).

Isaiah 49-66, Lesson 21, homiletics need to be completed (only content is done).

Micah 1-7, Lesson 23, homiletics need to be completed (only content is done).

*Nahum 1-3 and Zephaniah 1-3, Lesson 24 needs to be completed, homiletics need to be completed (only content done for Nahum and Zephaniah). 

**Jeremiah 1-52, Lessons 25 and 26, homiletics need to be completed (only content is partially done).

*Lamentations, Lesson 27, homiletics need to be completed (only the content is partially done).

*Habakkuk, Lesson 28, homiletics need to be done (no content is done)

Selected Scriptures, Lesson 29, need to be completed. There is no homiletics.

Lesson 30 needs to be completed. There is no Bible reading. This lesson is only a reflection on major themes so there is no homiletics. 

Nahum and Zephaniah –

God’s Purifying Judgment and Promised Restoration

Nahum and Zephaniah

First Day: Read Lesson 23 Notes.

The notes and lecture fortify the truth of the passage for understanding and application to daily life.

1.      What truth from the notes helped you understand how love for God impacts the way we treat others? What is God leading you to do?

2.      In what way did the lecture specifically challenge or encourage you this week?

Second Day: Read Nahum 1.

Nahum prophesied God’s vengeance on Nineveh.

BSF Engage

We enjoy thinking about God’s love. Knowing that God loves us perfectly warms our hearts. There are, however, other aspects of God’s character to consider. Limited by our finite understanding of righteous anger, we struggle to comprehend how God justly exercises fierce vengeance against people He created and claims to love. Sure – sinful people offend God and hurt others. So – how do we reconcile God’s righteous wrath with His perfect love? In truth, God’s justice and judgment flow from His abounding love. What kind of love would ignore the grievous toll taken by sin? God’s righteous wrath burns against all that threatens what His perfect love protects.

Nahum and Zephaniah proclaimed God’s message of judgment as well as God’s just, sovereign, and merciful character. Judgment awaited Judah and the nations who proudly mocked God and oppressed His people. God sent His prophets to assure them that He would end sin’s reign and bring restoration and renewal. God exercises purifying wrath against sin but offers restorative grace to those who seek Him. He sent His Son to offer us salvation from sin’s destruction and His just wrath. God will not leave the guilty unpunished, but He also never leaves people without a way of salvation.

BSF notes re Who Was Nahum?

● The Prophet: Nahum – from the Judean village of Elkosh, his name means “comfort”

● The Audience: Nineveh, the capital city of Assyria

● The Message: God’s judgment upon Nineveh and the Assyrian empire

● The Image to Remember: Overwhelming flood

This week’s lesson combines two prophetic books – Nahum and Zephaniah. Nahum prophesied God’s judgment against Nineveh, the capital city of Judah’s enemy Assyria. Zephaniah proclaimed God’s coming judgment on Judah and other nations, and His subsequent restoration of a faithful remnant. Both prophecies champion God’s just and sovereign character – offering assurance and comfort to God’s people. Just as He promised, God will destroy His enemies, judge sin, and redeem the faithful. All are accountable to the creator God.

BSF Hold Fast

Through Nahum, God comforted Judah by declaring His jealous love and avenging justice against their oppressor, Nineveh. God warned Nineveh of His judgment upon their pride and violence. Nineveh’s greed and lust for power lurked under her seductive and luxurious exterior. God promised to reveal Nineveh’s sins and prevail as He incapacitated the city that boasted impenetrable strength. Nineveh and Assyria would fall – never to be seen again. God’s jealous and avenging wrath on Nineveh demonstrated His great love and care for His people. Nahum exalted God’s justice and sovereign power as a place of refuge for God’s people.

3.      Nahum was written at the zenith of Nineveh’s power – approximately 100 years after Jonah and 50 years before the city was destroyed.

a.    In 1:1-6, how does Nahum describe God’s character that stood behind His actions against Nineveh?

The LORD is jealous, avenging, and wrathful. He is slow to anger, great in power, and just (i.e., he will not clear the guilty). He is sovereign over nature and uses nature to exercise his judgment. He is sovereign over people and people cannot overcome his wrath and anger.

b.   What contrasts do you see between God’s firmness in judgment and His tender care for His own?

The LORD takes vengeance on and keeps his wrath for his enemies. We read of the strength with which he does this in verses 3-6, 8-14. Yet, in verse 7 and 15, we read in contrast that God is good and a stronghold for those who take refuge in him in the day of trouble. That goodness and being stronghold is specifically directed to Judah in verse 15.

c.    How do believers find comfort and peace balancing God’s promise to judge evil and the good news of salvation in Christ (see Romans 5:10-11 and Nahum 1:6-8 alongside Isaiah 52:7 and Romans 10:15)?

Rom 5:10-11 - If God reconciled us by the death of his son while we were God’s enemies, how much more will we be saved by his life. More than that, we rejoice in Christ through whom we received reconciliation.

Is 52:7 - How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news.

Rom 10:15 - How beautiful are the feet of those who preach good news.

Nahum 1:6-8 - No one can stand before God’s anger. He will make a complete end to his adversaries and pursue them into darkness. But he knows those who take refuge in Him in the day of trouble.

So, the balancing of God’s justice and his grace through Christ’s death bring comfort in that we know that God judged our sin (he didn’t just wink at it) but he punished Christ for it instead of us such that we are saved.

BSF notes re Nahum’s Prophecy of Judgment on Nineveh – Nahum

God’s Character and Power – 1

God’s Prophet Nahum – 1:1

Nahum’s message regarding the downfall of Nineveh and the Assyrian Empire comforted God’s people. God Almighty would jealously avenge Judah by executing justice on her enemy nation. Nineveh’s downfall represents the toppling of a seemingly impenetrable metropolis. The bloodthirsty Assyrian armies abused and conquered other nations with vicious cruelty.

Situated in Judah, Nahum prophesied around the time of kings Manasseh1 and Josiah.2 Nahum ministered prior to Nineveh’s fall (around 612 B.C.) and after the Assyrian conquest of Thebes in Egypt (663 B.C.)3

Assyria’s ominous threat loomed large over Judah. They witnessed the Assyrian capture of the northern kingdom of Israel and the deportation of its citizens. The Assyrian King Sennacherib’s siege on Jerusalem under King Hezekiah4 stood as a vivid memory. Now, Judah lived in the shadow of the Assyrian King Ashurbanipal’s bloody campaign to conquer all nations. Nahum’s promise of Nineveh’s defeat reassured Judah that the Lord rules the nations.

God’s Jealous and Avenging Love – 1:2-8

Nahum first pointed to God Himself as he began his declaration of judgment. Nahum declared, “The Lord is a jealous and avenging God; the Lord takes vengeance and is filled with wrath.” God’s desire to avenge evil rises from His deep love for His people and His holy hatred of sin. Ultimately, God intervened to bring justice, despite the many political factors that contributed to Nineveh’s collapse.

The edict of divine judgment Nahum delivered incorporated more than Assyria’s persistent and brutal evil. Nearly a century before, Jonah’s reluctant preaching brought repentance to the city.5 Perhaps Nahum delivered the message Jonah would have preferred to speak. Despite God’s warnings, Assyria’s guilt before God piled up as they returned to idolatry, cruelty, and extreme arrogance. Assyria’s rampant idolatry negatively impacted Judah, who sought to imitate the Assyrians.6

Nahum reminded Judah that God’s patience did not reveal powerlessness or injustice. Nahum clearly explained God’s motive for exercising judgment: “The Lord is slow to anger but great in power; the Lord will not leave the guilty unpunished.” God would come in great power – as “the whirlwind and the storm.” At His command, seas and rivers dry up, mountains quake, hills melt, and rocks shatter. God’s indignation would pour out “like fire.”

God is simultaneously perfectly just and perfectly good. Trouble awaited Nineveh, but His promise of just vengeance came with an offer to shelter those who trusted Him. God’s avenging power provides comfort to those who take refuge in Him. Nahum’s message of judgment on Nineveh comforted Judah, even though they faced their own judgment.

Assyria pridefully reveled in power and exalted herself above God. However, neither military strength nor false gods could withstand God’s almighty power. God broke through Nineveh’s walls as the city’s inhabitants spilled out like an “overwhelming flood” – exposed and defenseless before God’s wrath.

God’s Power Toppled Nineveh’s Pride– 1:9-15

History confirms the fulfillment of Nahum’s vision. By 612 B.C., the Babylonians and Medes conquered Nineveh. By 605 B.C., all remnants of the Assyrian Empire vanished. The ruins of Nineveh remained buried until 1845. God always fulfills whatever He promises.

After promising Assyria’s demise, God called His people to worship: “Celebrate your festivals, Judah, and fulfill your vows. No more will the wicked invade you; they will be completely destroyed.” In love, God saved Judah from both physical and spiritual destruction. This historical victory for God’s people prefigures Christ’s victory on the cross. God’s Son conquered our spiritual enemies and “disarmed the powers and authorities.”7

1: Manasseh: 2 Kings 21:1-18; 2 Chronicles 33:1-20

2: Josiah: 2 Kings 22:1–23:30; 2 Chronicles 34–35

3: Thebes: Nahum 3:8

4: Jerusalem’s siege: 2 Kings 18–19

5: Repentance under Jonah: Jonah 3:5-9

6: Ahaz and Manasseh’s seeking of Assyrian gods: 2 Kings 16; 21

7: Christ’s victory: Colossians 2:13-15

4.      Think about our previous study of Jonah. How might you explain the difference between Jonah and his message for Nineveh and Nahum and his prophecy against the same empire (see Jonah 3:3-5, 10)?

The difference is that in Jonah the Ninevites repented and here (100 years later) in Nahum they were not repenting but rather plotting against the LORD (verses 9-11).

5.      a.    Why was this announcement of Nineveh’s judgment important to the people of Judah?

From verse 15c, it appears that the Ninevites were oppressing Judah and Nahum’s message is that Nineveh will be destroyed such that Judah will not be oppressed by the Ninevites ever again.

b.   Reread Nahum 1:3. How do you find personal comfort in God and His character?

We might say that we find personal comfort in that fact that God is slow to anger (v3a) but, the fact that he is slow doesn’t mean that we will avoid his anger. We have an eternal soul. So, while God is slow to anger, we will eventually we will experience his anger. Personal comfort is found in the fact that the LORD is just (i.e., not clearing the guilty). Given Rom 5:10-11 (and many other texts), God judged Christ instead of us such that his justice has been satisfied and we are reconciled to God.

Third Day: Read Nahum 2–3.

Nahum vividly described Nineveh’s fall.

6.      Find words or phrases that describe:

The enemy’s appearance: The enemy that is coming up against them is clothed in red/scarlet with chariots and metal spears (2:3)

The siege and looting of the city: The chariots race madly through the streets gleaming like torches, a seige tower is set up (2:4-5).

The flooding of the city and its results: The river gates are opened and the palace melts away, mistress shamed and enslaved, Nineveh’s pools run away, its precious metals are plundered, the city is desolate and in ruins, people are in anguish (2:6-9).

The fall of Nineveh’s fortresses: The city is desolate and in ruins, people are in anguish (2:10-13).

The sins for which Nineveh is judged: Nineveh is a bloody city (committed murder), full of lies, plunderers (3:1), they engaged in countless whorings of the prostitute (3:4).

BSF notes re God’s Judgment on Nineveh – 2–3

Nineveh’s Fall – 2

Through Nineveh’s fall, God would restore the splendor of His chosen people. Nahum prophetically described details of Nineveh’s future fall to Babylon with amazing accuracy. He offered dramatic images of an invading army with flashing red shields, scarlet-clad warriors, and flashing metal chariots. God, the only source of true strength,8 scattered and disarmed Nineveh. Assyria brutally attacked, enslaved, and pillaged other nations and peoples. They would suffer the same fate they imposed on others. Like a pool of water, God would drain the city of its perceived strength, opulent splendor, ill-gotten wealth, and evil rulers. The Assyrian lions would fall before the Lion of Judah, who fights for His covenant flock.9

God declared His avenging fury against those who devour His covenant people. God hates and opposes oppression and injustice. He proclaimed to Nineveh, “I am against you.” God’s startling declaration should strike fear into mortal hearts. God’s almighty power comes against those who oppose Him but works on behalf of those in covenant relationship with Him. In His perfect time and way, God will avenge evil and deliver His people.10

8: God’s strength: Psalm 146

9: The Lion of Judah: Hosea 5:14; Revelation 5:5

10: God’s vengeance: Revelation 6:9-11

BSF re Nineveh: A Monument to Worldly Splendor and Power

Nineveh was founded by Nimrod - an evil, boastful, and mighty warrior of ancient days.11 A byword for violence and evil, the Assyrian capital was a huge metropolis featuring multiple cities and suburbs. Jonah traveled three full days to preach across the wide expanse of the city, thought to be about 60 miles (97 km) in circumference.12 Seemingly impregnable walls with 15 gates and many tall towers protected the city.Three chariots could drive side by side atop the thick inner walls. Nineveh’s royal palace boasted unparalleled opulence and an impressive armory. The Babylonian army conquered the city, which was flooded, burned, and plundered. The fortress of human power perceived as invincible fell at God’s command.

11: Nimrod: Genesis 10:8-11

12: Jonah’s preaching: Jonah 3:3

7.      a.    How does the entire book of Nahum illustrate Psalm 119:89 and Matthew 5:18?

Ps 119:89 refers to the LORD’s word, law, precepts standing forever.

Matt 5:18 refers to God’s word never passing away.

Nahum illustrates these verses in the sense that it was a great and powerful city yet when God speaks and ordains its destruction, that destruction comes to pass, demonstrating God’s sovereignty over even the greatest of nations. Beyond His sovereignty, Nahum illustrates the justice of God. When people violate God’s law, his law will stand. It will not be violated forever. He will ordain judgment and it will come to pass.

b.   In what ways does this truth offer you confidence and hope?

I don’t see any direct confident or hope in the above truth. I do have confidence and hope in God’s promises. In particular, I have hope and confidence in Christ’s promise that he was a substitutionary atonement for my sin (violations of the law) that God will destroy all enemies eventually, including Satan and save those who are the LORD’s.

BSF re Nineveh’s Disgrace – 3

Nahum delivered a message of doom for Nineveh, pronouncing judgment and exposing their specific sins. Picturing Nineveh as a sultry seductress, Nahum exposed her perverse immorality. The image of a prostitute personifying evil reappeared in John’s vision in Revelation 17. God would uncover the ugliness and horror behind sin’s siren song for all to see. This disguised deception behind the allure of wealth, pleasure, and comfort would be revealed as the city was wrecked and the people were killed and scattered. Many times, what the world values most is not what God values.

God dealt His adversary a grievous wound. Nahum’s prophecy spoke beyond Nineveh’s fall to foreshadow God’s cosmic victory over Satan.13 This adversary prowls like a hunting lion,14 seduces with lies,15 and opposes God and everything He values.16 God’s ultimate and total defeat of Satan, sin, and evil remains certain. People who put their faith in God can trust that He will avenge evil perfectly – in His way and at the time He determines.17

13: God’s ultimate victory: Genesis 3:15; John 12:31; Hebrews 2:14; Revelation 12

14: Prowling lion: 1 Peter 5:8

15: Father of lies: John 8:44

16: Opposing God: Revelation 12:1-7

17: God’s vengeance: Romans 12:17-21

8.      Which verse in Nahum is particularly meaningful to you? Why?

Nahum 1:6 The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble, he knows those who take refuge in him. I take comfort in this because when calamity comes, I can seek refuge in the LORD and he will be a stronghold for me.

Fourth Day: Read Zephaniah 1:1–3:8.

Zephaniah prophesied judgment on Judah and surrounding nations.

BSF notes re Who Was Zephaniah?

● The Prophet: Zephaniah means “the Lord hides.” ● The Audience: Judah, with a message of judgment reaching surrounding nations and, ultimately, the world

● The Message: Judgment and blessing in the day of the Lord

● The Image to Remember: Sweeping broom

BSF Hold Fast

Zephaniah prophesied God’s purifying judgment over the whole earth and His gracious restoration of a repentant remnant. God’s judgment included Judah, who had succumbed to Nineveh’s idolatry. He could not allow that sin to continue. In justice and love, God would purify the earth of sin’s corruption. Zephaniah warned Judah that the day of the Lord was quickly drawing near. Even as God promised His wrath against His people, He offered them shelter from His anger if they would repent and humbly seek Him. Additionally, God promised to restore a humble remnant to purity and fruitfulness. He would give them the land of the haughty nations and fill the earth with His righteous people. God would live in their midst, rejoice at their restoration, and bless them with physical and spiritual vitality. 

9.      During whose reign was this book written? What happened in Judah under this king (skim 2 Kings 22–23)?

This book was written during the reign of Josiah, king of Judah.

2 Kings 22-23 - Josiah repaired the temple, the Book of the Law was found in the temple, Josiah read the Book of the Law to the people and conformed worship to it, Josiah restored the Passover, Josiah died in battle.

BSF notes re Zephaniah’s Prophecy of Judgment and Restoration – Zephaniah

God’s Judgment on Judah and the Nations – 1:1–3:8

Zephaniah’s Lineage and Theme – 1:1

Zephaniah’s lineage goes back four generations to someone named Hezekiah, most likely King Hezekiah.18 Zephaniah prophesied during the reign of Josiah, a godly king who brought spiritual reforms to Judah.19 Zephaniah ministered during this time, denouncing idolatry and, specifically, Baal worship.20 His message may have contributed to Josiah’s godly leadership. However, the lingering influence of wicked kings caused these reforms to fade upon Josiah’s death.

In many ways, Zephaniah’s warnings and promises crystallized and summarized the messages of the prophets who preceded him. Speaking with God’s authority, Zephaniah announced God’s purifying judgment of Judah and the nations but promised God would restore a remnant. The intentional repetition of these proclamations conveyed God’s persistence in pleading for His people. The recurring echo of these themes remains significant for us today.

18: Hezekiah: 2 Kings 18–20; 2 Chronicles: 29–32

19: Josiah’s reforms: 2 Kings 22:1–23:30 20: Baal worship: Numbers 25:1-5; Judges 2:13; Jeremiah 7:9; Hosea 2:8

10.  What specifics about God’s judgment do the following verses reveal?

Zephaniah 1:2-3 - God will sweep away everything, man and beast, birds, fish.

Zephaniah 1:4-5 - God will be against Judah, He will cut off the remnant of Baal, idolatrous priests in Jerusalem, and those who worship LORD yet swear by Milcom.

Zephaniah 1:12-16 - God will punish complacent men, men who say the LORD will not do good or ill. He will plunder their houses, lay their houses to waste, though they build houses and plant vineyards, they will not use them.

BSF notes re God’s Judgment on Judah – 1:2–2:3

Zephaniah’s prophecy began with pervasive statements of global judgment. God declared, “I will sweep away everything from the face of the earth.” Even nature suffered under sin’s corrupting power.21 God’s just judgment is universal because sin is universal. Zephaniah incorporated Judah in his prediction in 1:4: “I will stretch out my hand against Judah and against all who live in Jerusalem.”

Like Joel, Zephaniah spoke of the “day of the Lord,” a general term that expresses God’s judgment.22 Zephaniah offered multiplied ominous descriptions of the bitter day when the “Mighty Warrior shouts his battle cry.” He spoke of distress, anguish, trouble, ruin, darkness, gloom, clouds, and blackness. God’s wrath against sin is a serious matter.

Like other prophets, Zephaniah’s prediction of the day of the Lord pointed to both an imminent and a distant fulfillment. God’s judgment of the nations will ultimately occur at the second coming of His Son, Jesus. On that day, the Warrior King will judge the whole earth, restore His people, and consummate His kingdom.23 God graciously offers shelter from His wrath through the willing sacrifice of His Son for the forgiveness of our sins.24

Zephaniah issued a tender invitation to Judah in 2:3 before offering further warnings to Judah and other nations: “Seek the Lord, all you humble of the land, you who do what he commands. Seek righteousness, seek humility; perhaps you will be sheltered on the day of the Lord’s anger.” God’s compassionate heart for wayward people shines through. Even as God announces judgment, He invites people to humble themselves and repent. God mercifully offers a way of salvation for those who seek refuge in Him.

21: Sin’s curse on nature: Romans 8:19-21 22: The Day of the Lord: Joel 1:15; 2:1, 11, 31; 3:14, 18

23: Jesus’ second coming: Matthew 25:31-46; Acts 17:31; 1 Corinthians 15:23-28; Revelation 19:11-21

24: Christ our shelter: Isaiah 51:17-22; Matthew 26:26-29; Romans 5:9; Colossians 3:1-11; 1 John 4:10

11.  From Zephaniah 2:4-15, list the other nations who awaited God’s judgment. What do you learn from this?

Gaza, Ashkelon, Ashdod, Ekron, inhabitants of the sea coast, Cherethites, Canaan, Philistines, Moab, Ammonites, Moab, Cushites, Assyria, Nineveh.

In order to learn from this, I need to go back to 1:17-18. The Lord is bringing distress on all mankind because they have sinned against the LORD.

I note at 2:7 that the seacoasts shall be given to the remnant of Judah because the LORD their God is mindful of them and will restore their fortunes. In 2:9, Moab will be plundered and possessed by “my people”. So, while other nations will be destroyed, there will be a remnant in Judah who will be preserved and will possess at least some of these nations.

BSF notes re God’s Judgment on the Nations – 2:4-15

Zephaniah’s next indictment focused on nations who brought trauma upon His people: Philistia, Moab, Ammon, Cush, and Assyria. His words against Assyria echo those of Nahum. Much like the prophet Amos, Zephaniah first charged the Gentile nations surrounding Judah, then zeroed in on Jerusalem. Scripture clearly teaches the universal reign of God Almighty across generations and nations. All individuals and nations remain accountable to Him, whether or not they recognize His authority. God is the only sovereign King of the whole earth. The pride and sins of all these nations were known to God as they awaited His just judgment.

12.  What specific sins is Jerusalem charged with in 3:1-8?

Jerusalem was rebellious, defiled, they were oppressors, she did not listen, she accepted no correction, she does not trust the LORD, she does not draw near to God, her officials and judges are predators, her prophets are evil.

BSF re God’s Judgment of Jerusalem’s Rulers – 3:1-8

God labeled Jerusalem a “city of oppressors.” Rebellious and defiled, the people of Judah refused to trust God or draw near to Him. God holds leaders accountable for the responsibility He delegates to them. Zephaniah denounced Jerusalem’s evil rulers and unprincipled prophets. The priests, appointed to serve God and the people, preyed on the helpless and profaned the sanctuary. Corruption overtook hearts that strayed away from God.

In stark contrast to Judah’s corrupt leaders, Zephaniah upheld God’s sovereign and holy character. “The Lord within her is righteous; he does no wrong. Morning by morning he dispenses his justice, and every new day he does not fail, yet the unrighteous know no shame.” God Himself is our stronghold when people disappoint us. God remained steadfastly merciful, while Judah remained stubbornly unrepentant.

13.  How do people today respond to the thought of God’s judgment? What reasons do people give for their response?

People reject the idea that God exercises judgment. Their reason is that God is love and they conclude that a loving God does not judge. God’s is patience and long-suffering that result in him withholding His judgment is misinterpreted by mankind as meaning that God won’t ever judge.

The reality is God’s love for himself supersedes his love for his creatures. Specifically, God loves his justice and he cannot act contrary to justice. So, he must punish sin. When His patience and long-suffering comes to an end, he will punish sin.

BSF notes re God’s Holy Hatred of Sin

The Doctrine of God’s Wrath

Most people today ignore or reject the thought of God’s wrath, preferring to believe that God accepts anything and everyone equally. Like everything God is and does, God exercises His wrath in perfect balance with His entire nature. God loves everything that is good and right. Therefore, He opposes everything that threatens what and whom He loves. God’s wrath represents a deliberate response of His justice, holiness, and love against all that dishonors Him. Whereas God’s love flows intrinsically from His nature, His wrath represents His holy response to the ravages of sin. God does not exercise wrath in gleeful retribution or to “get even.” God’s holy anger stands as a protective and purifying expression of His divine love.

The Bible offers many manifestations of God’s wrath: the Flood,25 the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah,26 and the plagues of Egypt27 to name a few. Nahum and Zephaniah warned of God’s wrath and impending action against unrepentant evil and idolatry. Judah, Israel, and foreign nations alike encountered God’s just judgment of their sin. Today, God’s wrath is being revealed against sin and ungodliness.28 In the future, God’s wrath will be poured out on the earth as He removes Satan and evil forever.29 Every person is born with a sinful nature and deserves God’s wrath.30 Anyone who puts their faith in Jesus Christ’s atoning sacrifice receives eternal salvation because He absorbed God’s wrath on their behalf.31

Despite Satan’s attempts to hide this truth, God’s wrath against sin cannot be dismissed or ignored. Without an understanding of God’s just response to sin, Jesus’ cross and the gospel do not make sense. Failure to recognize this truth minimizes the gravity of both personal and corporate sin and universal accountability to God. We cannot maintain a right view of God without understanding the seriousness of His wrath. Psalm 90:11 says, “If only we knew the power of your anger! Your wrath is as great as the fear that is your due.”

The truth about God’s wrath helps us comprehend the amazing beauty and wonder of Jesus’ cross. God’s own Son came to earth as a man, lived a sinless life, and died a sacrificial death for sinners. In His infinite perfection, Jesus absorbed the full force of God’s wrath against the sins of countless people who trust Him for salvation. For every believer, God’s wrath has been fully satisfied – the debt of sin has been paid in full. As those spared from God’s wrath, believers should be particularly motivated to share the gospel with others. Multiplied voices in heaven will proclaim: “Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, for true and just are his judgments” (Revelation 19:1-2a).

25: Flood: Genesis 6–8

26: Sodom and Gomorrah: Genesis 19

27: Egyptian plagues: Exodus 7–11

28: Wrath revealed: Romans 1:18-20

29: Wrath to come: Matthew 3:7; 5:22; 18:8; Mark 9:47-48

30: God’s wrath deserved: Romans 3:10-18

31: Saved from wrath: John 3:36; Romans 5:9

24: Seventy years in Babylon: Jeremiah 25:11; 29:10

Fifth Day: Read Zephaniah 3:9-20

God promised restoration of a remnant within Israel.

14.  What glorious promises offered hope to the people of Judah?

In 3:9-10, we see that the LORD will change His people - they will have pure speech, they will call upon the name of the LORD. These changed people will come “from beyond the rivers of Cush” they will be “the daughter of my dispersed ones.”

In 3:11, we see the grounds for their escaping the punishment due for their rebellious deeds against the LORD will be that He will remove from your midst your proudly exultant ones and they shall no longer be haughty in the LORD’s holy mountain. That is, the grounds for their escaping judgment is that they are made holy. From the NT, we know that this is on account of Christ paying the penalty for their sin and imputing his righteousness to us.

In 3:12-13, we see that the remnant will be humble and lowly, they shall seek refuge in the name of the LORD, they shall do no injustice, speak no lies, and they shall graze and lay down and none shall make them afraid. From the NT, we know that our personal holiness is accomplished through the work of the HS culminating in our glorification.

BSF re God’s Restoration of a Remnant – 3:9-20

Restored to Purity – 3:9-13

God’s story does not end with despair and destruction. Consistent with the other prophets, Zephaniah presented God’s truth about judgment but also solid reasons for hope. God promised a day when His scattered people would be purified and united. With haughtiness, arrogance, and deception removed, God vowed to restore the meek and humble remnant of Israel. Zephaniah offered a beautiful description of the renewed purity and deliverance from fear that God’s people would experience on a future day.

Restored to Joy – 3:14-20

Zephaniah’s final words declare a bright and joyful future – a time when God’s people find rest in His presence. Though scattered throughout the earth, God will gather the exiles from the lands where they have suffered shame. God vowed to bring His people home. This promise refers to a physical regathering of the Israelites and restoration to their land but points to a larger and more distant fulfillment as well. Both promises are important. God brought hope to Israel as a people, and that will grow to impact all nations through Christ. Jesus inaugurated the fulfillment of these promises when He came to earth. God’s own Son conquered sin, death, and Satan through His death and resurrection. And in the future, Jesus will come again to set up His eternal kingdom. God’s glorious promises ultimately refer not just to the remnant of Israel, but also extend to the remnant among humanity who trust Jesus for salvation.

Not only will Judah experience joy, but God Himself will exult over His restored people. Zephaniah described God’s own delight in the regathering of His children. “The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.” God rejoices not in the judgment of the wicked but in the restoration of the repentant.32 He delights to draw us near and to bless us with His presence.

32: Delight to restore: Ezekiel 33:11; Luke 15:3-7; 2 Peter 3:9

15.  Zephaniah 3:12-13 declares God’s ongoing plan for a remnant from within Israel.

a.    How does this truth reveal God’s faithfulness?

That God keeps a people that are a remnant of true believers demonstrates God’s faithfulness in that he is fulfilling the covenant he made with Abraham (Gen 12:1-3).

b.   In what way do you see the principle of a “remnant” as part of God’s ongoing plan for humanity (see Matthew 7:13-14 and 1 Corinthians 1:26-27)?

Matt 7:13-14 teaches us that the remnant will go through a narrow gate that hard, not easy. These verses teach that few will find this gate, meaning the remnant are few.

There is a parallel between Zeph 3:12-13 and 1 Corinthians 1:26-27. In both passages we read that the remnant will be humble and lowly. In 1 Cor 1:29-31 we see why the LORD uses causes his people to be humble and lowly. It is so that no human might boast in the presence of God. but rather boast in the LORD. So, we can conclude that God’s ongoing plan for the remnant is that he receive glory for their salvation.

The principle of the remnant is part of God’s ongoing plan for humanity so that Christ will have worshippers. It is not that Christ is not complete without having worshippers. Rather, it is God being gracious to sinful human beings that he saved some so that they may partake in the supreme joy of glorifying Christ.

BSF notes:

Zephaniah depicted a vibrant and restored city and people. God’s people and their interactions will be characterized by meekness, humility, and joy rather than pride, arrogance, and cruelty. God exercises purifying wrath against sin but offers restorative grace to those who seek Him. These certain promises of wholeness, joy, and eternal safety await those who seek God and look to Jesus. The Son of God bore the wrath of God to make us the children of God.

16.  Which verse in this passage did you find particularly meaningful or encouraging?

I find 3:14-20 both meaningful and encouraging. Here we read of our right response to being saved from God’s eternal wrath. We are to rejoice and exult with all our heart because the LORD has taken away the judgments against us, because he has cleared away our enemies (the primary enemy being Satan, the accuser). The result is that we have peace with the LORD our God. We see this in 3:17 - he will quiet your by his love, he will comfort us who suffered reproach. We see in 3:19 that He will exercise judgment against our oppressors. Most importantly, we see in 3:20 (see ESV translation) that peoples of the earth will see us and what the LORD has done for us and the LORD will be known as great among the peoples of the earth.

Sixth Day: Review Nahum and Zephaniah.

God exercises purifying wrath against sin but offers restorative grace to those who seek Him.

17.  What was the strongest message the Lord spoke to you from your study of Nahum and Zephaniah?

I’m struck with the importance of being one of God’s people. If I am, then nothing can separate me from him. Even the worst punishment described in Zephaniah, is just discipline for those who are His. But, if I am not His, the punishment described here is just the beginning of eternal punishment.

BSF notes re Apply It:

The truth about sin and judgment seldom surfaces in today’s world. Nahum and Zephaniah’s themes do not make comfortable dinner conversation. However, God’s wrath against sin and inevitable judgment cannot be ignored forever. How has this study helped you understand the protective and purifying love that motivates God’s wrath against sin? If you still struggle with God’s retributive actions in this world and for eternity, express your hard questions and discomfort directly to God. To what lengths would you go to protect your children or those you love most dearly? While our flawed human reactions fall infinitely short of God’s perfect responses, understanding who God is stretches our limited perspective. Who would God be if He left sin unchecked or let evil prevail? God cannot simply banish evil and forgive everyone without judgment. He holds all people responsible as moral agents made in His image. Our struggle eases when we realize that God’s beloved Son bore the full weight of His wrath on our behalf. God’s sacrificial solution to the wrath we deserve invites our grateful love and humble submission.

Zephaniah’s final verses offer rich encouragement. God announced to His scattered people, “I will bring you home.” The dispersed Israelites certainly longed to return to their homeland. The future that lay ahead for Israel pictures what lies ahead for believers. God’s children live as wayfarers and pilgrims. Our feet walk on earth while our hearts long for heaven. We also want God to bring us home. The promises of a sinless, Christ-centered eternity praising God with a diverse throng of likeminded people motivates us. But what measure of “home” can God’s children expect while we wait for that glorious day? There is good news – in Christ Himself we find our truest home. God seeks us even when we wander away from our “home” and find ourselves in the “pig pens” of life.33 In God alone we find true security – a place of refuge. We join a family of believers and find a place of safety and joy, no matter what life brings. Because of Jesus, we can be at home while we are not yet “home.” Will you hear God say, “I will bring you home” – for today and for eternity?

This lesson offers two interesting pictures of God. The same God who judges sin with vengeance sings songs of delight over His restored children. Recognizing the intensity of God’s love helps us understand His holy hatred of sin. With divine perfection, God loves people and hates sin. God calls His children to share His heart. We grieve sin’s wreckage and long for God’s perfect justice to prevail. God’s promise of ultimate victory provides eternal comfort, and His tender mercies bring daily joy. How wonderful to delight in Him! But – can you believe that God finds delight in you?Do you sense your Heavenly Father’s pleasure in you, His child? God’s love does not depend on your worthiness or performance. Jesus’ sinless perfection blankets God’s children. When you sin, and you will, He calls you to repent and welcomes you back with joy. God fights for you. The Mighty Warrior is your Beloved Shepherd. The fierceness of God’s wrath reflects the fierceness of His love. In what specific way will you find rest, rescue, and hope in the Lord today?

33: God seeks us: Luke 15:11-32